Acts 3:2

Act_3:2

The gate of the temple which is called Beautiful.

The gate Beautiful

In our ignorance of the topography of Jerusalem and the temple, it is not possible to determine with absolute certainty which of the many gates of the temple was distinguished by this name. According to Josephus, There were nine of the gates that were overlaid with silver and gold. But one without the temple, or sanctuary, made of Corinthian brass, far excelled those of gold or silver. This gate is supposed to have been the east entrance to the womens court, and was sometimes called the Corinthian Gate, from the material of which it was made. It was also known by the name of Nicanors gate. Others, however, suppose the Beautiful gate to be that called Shushan by the Rabbins, probably from the bas-relief lily work in brass around the capitals of the columns (1Ki_7:19). It is derived from an unused root signifying white, white and beautiful being convertible as in Shushan (Est_1:2), the white or beautiful city (as Beogrady--Belgrade--in Slavonic). This gate was on the cast side of the court of the Gentiles, and close to Solomons porch. (W. Denton, M. A.)

The gate Beautiful

The temple of religion has a beautiful gate in it; but in one important respect it differs from the Beautiful gate of the Jewish temple. On the pillars on either side of that gate were engraved in Greek letters the words, Let no stranger pass beyond this on pain of death. But through the beautiful gate of the gospel every one is free to enter into the holiest place. And that at all times. In each of the great churches of Rome there is what is called the Porta Santa, or Holy Door. It is made of a peculiar marble, and is sealed up for fifty years, so that no one during all that time can obtain admission through it to the high altar. In the jubilee year the reigning Pope knocks at this door with a silver hammer; and immediately it is pulled down and a breach made through which the Pope, followed by a splendid procession, can pass and minister in the most sacred place. But not like this Porta Santa is the beautiful gate of the gospel. Not at long intervals is it opened. To every one who knocks, however feebly, and at whatever time, it swings back at once and gives admission. All that is needful to entitle any one to admission is faith and love. It is a beautiful gate by which you enter into Gods kingdom. The everlasting doors are lifted up that you may pass through, and the salvation wrought for you is a great salvation worthy of the greatness of your nature. The ancient Romans had a strange law which required that when a man returned from captivity in a foreign land he should not enter his house by the doorway. He could not recover his right of possession and citizenship unless he entered his house through the roof; and then he was supposed never to have been out of it. Not thus is admittance to be obtained into the kingdom of heaven. There can be no make-believe that the redeemed sinner has always been in the Fathers house. The captive, the wanderer, dead in trespasses and sins, must return by the one living Way, and enter in by the one living Door open to all--viz., a simple faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ. But, while the gate of the temple of Christs religion is thus beautiful to all, it is especially beautiful to the young. You are to enter the temple of religion by the gate of innocence, before you have had any experience of the dark sins and trials of the world. Youth is the most beautiful door by which to enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have the qualities of faith, hope, and love required of those who enter in. They are easy and natural, as it were, to you; and you have only to exercise them, not towards earthly, but towards heavenly things. And how beautiful is this gate of youthful piety--beautiful as all first things are-first love, the first light of the morning, the first flowers of spring, the dawn of human history in Eden, the golden age of the world; beautiful as all pure things are that have no alloy or base mixture of evil in them! You ask how are you to get this beautiful religion? In a very beautiful way! Not only is the temple itself beautiful, but the gate by which you enter it is beautiful. It is like the beautiful fruit of the orange-tree which you get through the beautiful and fragrant orange blossom. Jesus says, I am the Door, etc. How beautiful and costly is that living Door! What a wonderful death of self-sacrificing He died! And Jesus becomes a door to you such as your nature requires. He suits His long step to your short step, and narrows His octave to the stretch of your little fingers. (H. Macmillan, LL. D.)

The Beautiful Gate

It is hardly a figure to say that in our human life there are gates we may well call beautiful, ever opening and inviting us to enter on new experiences and duties. But the special thought I want to emphasise is that at every one of these gates we need a helping hand, human or Divine, to put us on our feet, and prepare us for the new phase of life into which the gate opens.

1. To begin with the first gate--the gate of infancy and childhood. It is a beautiful gate, indeed. What fond hopes wreathe every cradle! What possibilities are wrapped up in that little bundle of helplessness and want called the baby? This bundle of weakness and want laid at the beautiful gate of life, asking alms of all, having nothing but capacity, needing everything--care, watching, sympathy, love, wisdom--everything to feed and clothe the body, to quicken and nourish the mind, and train a young immortal for the mortal and immortal life. And what can do this like mingled affection and faith akin in spirit to that which looked out through the illuminated eyes of Peter and John upon the tame man at the temple gate? And what this foundling at the gate of life needs is the touch of a loving hand and the faith of a loving heart. This is sure to carry with it healing and strength. And it is no less Divine on what is called the natural than what is called the supernatural plane. Are not the mingled affection and faith with which a true Christian mother broods over her child, nurturing into life body and mind in what we call the natural order, just as truly of God as was the power that healed the lame man at the temple gate? See how she puts herself into affectional rapport with her child. She looks into its eyes, finds its soul, talks with it in the souls language, which mother and child both know, smiles upon it, gives strength to its ankle-bones by holding them in her warm, motherly hands, and, finally, tempting the child to rise up and walk by the confidence that shines through her eyes, and by the outstretched hand ready to save from falling or to lift up again and again and yet again, till at last the child walks and leaps and praises God, in childish fashion, by its innocent gladness. All this affection may do, is continually doing, in all true homes. But there is a higher work to be done for the child, a deeper nature to be reached, a life within a life to be waked: and this calls not for affection only, but faith--faith in the reality of this interior life, faith in God as the Infinite Good, and in the reality of His Holy Spirits influence, faith in Him as the constant inspiration and life of the soul. This faith must crown affection, or the deepest wants of the childs soul can never be met It is this sweet, calm, holy influence filling the home, as the balmly odours of pine groves fill the surrounding air, that gives to the home atmosphere a healing, a strengthening, a life-giving power. It is better than silver or gold. But by and by the child is grown, and the home is left for the wide, wide world.

2. Here opens another gate--the gate of early manhood. This, too, is a beautiful gate, especially when the gate of childhood has been a fitting preparation for it. If it ever seems to rest in shadow, it is because the higher nature has not been waked, but sleeps, while the lower nature is alive and active. What in all this world is more beautiful than a young man--and man means woman--well furnished mentally, morally, spiritually, passing out through the beautiful gate for the great work of life! What fond hopes centre in him! But all such hopes are not realised. Why is it? But one reason for the failure may safely be ascribed to this: an undue sense of self-sufficiency. In the pride and strength of young manhood, one is slow to perceive that he is lame or undeveloped, or weak in any part of his nature. He is no cripple at the gate, to ask help of anybody. Is there no lameness, no weakness, no need of the touch of a helping hand? Even if the need be not felt, it does not follow that it is not real. It may not be felt, because the greatness of life is not felt. Where life is regarded only as a vigorous scramble for the main chance, for business success, or pleasure, without aspiration for anything above the beaten paths of dust and ashes, then, indeed, any man with good legs and arms and a thimbleful of brains may feel quite equal to the undertaking. But for one who looks on life from the standpoint of spiritual possibility--such a one, comparing his ideal with his actual, the glorious possibility with his own sense of inability, will need no argument to convince him that, however strong his ankle-bones, his spirit is in pressing need of the healing and strengthening touch of a faith and hope that makes the deepest and truest things of life the most real. He who helps me to faith in eternal realities, honour, right, integrity, self-sacrifice, and lifts me to a plane of life where the difference between noble and ignoble living is most clearly seen, is my greatest benefactor. It is this spirit which lifts, guides, and liberates the soul for noblest living. It is inspiration for the life eternal here and now. Silver and gold Jesus had none. Such as He had He gave--Himself, a soul enkindled with the love of God and man.

3. But manhood hastens on to old age. May we call that, too, a beautiful gate? Yes, if faith and hope, like Peter and John, stand at the gate to look into our eye and take our hand as we pass through. At first the gate of old age seems anything but beautiful. One of the brightest and most cheerful of our American poets calls it an Iron Gate. At first, they were almost ashamed to be found fairly inside the gate and unable to get back. But by and by, as they get adjusted to the new condition, and find themselves still in good company, rather select withal, the gate does not seem so dreadful. Approaching it, it did look like iron; but seen from the inside, with faith and hope shining upon it, it becomes beautiful--just as beautiful as the gates of childhood and manhood. The gate of childhood faces the sunrise. The gate of manhood lies under the mid-day sun. The gate of old age looks toward sunset, indeed; but it is a sunset that carries with it the promise of an immortal day. They are all beautiful gates of life. Which is the most beautiful we will not venture to say till we see them all from the higher standpoint we hope to reach by and by. But, even here and now, old age, with all its infirmities, has its blessings, which youth and manhood cannot know till they pass through the gate--the blessing of rest after toil, the blessing of sweet companionship with those with whom we have passed through all the beautiful gatest, the living over again with them the scenes of the past, to which distance lends enchantment; the looking forward in glorious hope to higher fellowship, Where youth is renewed as the eagles. These and the like lift the shadow from old age, and let Gods sunshine in to brighten and warm. But this implies a touch of the healing hand. And now, especially, as in lifes morning, the help is none the less, but all the more Divine if it comes through the eye, the heart, the hand of affection and faith mingled, assisting us tenderly and lovingly to rise up above the gathering mists and shadows, and pass trustingly through one more beautiful gate to the other mansions.

4. And is death, too, a beautiful gate? One would not think so by the hard names given to it Grim Tyrant, Great Destroyer, King of Terrors, and the like. But God never gave His white-winged angel such names. These, then, are some of the beautiful gates of life. All beautiful gates! built not by the wealth or workmen of Herod, but by the All-Beautiful, who created man in His own image, for the beauty of holiness. And at each gate Gods messengers, in some form, wait to give us the healing touch and put us on our feet. Oh! were we always conscious of the brooding spirit of Divine Love standing at every gate, looking into our eyes, seeking to find our souls and call forth responsive love, should we not all leave our sins, our weakness, our doubts, and stand on our feet, walking and leaping and praising God by a life in harmony with the Divine will? (W. P. Tilden.)

The grace of beauty

Observe--

I. The close relation between religion and beauty. The gate Beautiful was a temple gate. The Puritans depreciated beauty. In their excessive spirituality they ignored the true and proper uses of the visible, and disparaged the body. Jesus Christ manifested in human flesh the Divine glory, and by the resurrection of His body has given a type and pledge of the exaltation of man and nature. All material things may be transformed by the spirit of man. The beautiful in form, colour, and sound has been created by love, patriotism, and genius. But the higher inspiration of beauty is in religion, which touches with firmest finger the faculties out of which the graceful arises. Art, poetry, architecture, and music owe their finest products to Christianity. As religion has inspired aesthetic creations, so the way to religion should be by the paths of beauty. Gods worship should be no bald offering of utility, but should be associated with the most perfect in architecture, music, and oratory. The ways by which the young are drawn to Christ should be festooned with loveliness, and not be a via dolorosa. All the qualities of the Christian character may be rendered in attractive forms. When religion and beauty are wedded, science, industry, and citizenship will also be drawn into the goodly fellowship.

II. But the highest beauty, and the largest gateway to heaven, is spiritual beauty--the beauty of the Lord revealed in Christ. The cripple was not healed by the beauty of the temple gate, but by the beauty of Christ--the glory of His love, sympathy, and helpfulness. Visible beauty brings us to the threshold only; we must enter to behold the uncreated beauty. It is this which transforms the man and changes him from glory to glory in its image. When possessed it must not be hidden, but must, in imitation of the altogether lovely, be manifested in beautiful words, acts, life. As Christ would have us reproduce His beauty, so we must aim at making spiritually lame and ugly people radiant with the same loveliness. (J. Matthews.)

The beauty of religion

The temple represented the Jewish religion, and the gate by which you entered was called Beautiful. The way of the beautiful is the way of entrance into the sanctuary, if only we understand what is meant by beauty.

1. With one or two exceptions the word beauty is not mentioned in the whole New Testament. On the other hand, it is mentioned often in the Old. The most remarkable contrast among nations in antiquity was that between the Jew and the Greek. The Greeks are always instanced as the nation that had the genius of beauty and the love of it; but among the Greeks it was essentially physical; and although moral qualities were sometimes brought down and represented in it, it was in order merely to enhance the physical beauty. On exactly the other side stood the Hebrew, who was forbidden to have much that was physical in his worship. And so art never took root nor flourished in Palestine. But, on the other hand, there arose in the minds of the old Hebrew seers and lyrists a sense of the beauty of conduct, character, and moral quality that never represented itself in sensuous form. I think that if we were to look into the modern schools of beauty we should find that they follow the Greek and not the Hebrew. Now, in the New Testament, though it does not mention beauty as the Old Testament does, nevertheless we have a specification of qualities of thought, and feeling, and exhortations to beautiful conduct. One by one Christ takes up the things that are transcendentally beautiful in their kind, although they are not so to men. When a diamond is first found it is like a rough stone, without form or comeliness, and only when it has been ground does it become glittering; and so almost all the precious stones are found--in seams and ledges, and under circumstances where their beauty does not appear until they have been dealt with. Blessed be ye, when persecuted. Blessed be the rapid-running stone that grinds the gems--not, perhaps, in the process, but in the result.

2. In all the earth no spire, cathedral front, nor temple is so beautiful as the form of man and woman when brought out in all the lines and lineaments of Christian culture. And the New Testament says, Let your light so shine. Some have interpreted it, Let your gloom so shine that men think you are very serious-minded. No, but let your light shine. Let the things that shine out be, as the apostle other-where says in regard to them, Whatsoever is pure, whatsoever is true, whatsoever is of good report, think on these things. These are the qualities that are to shine with such attractiveness, as that religion shall not repel men, but win them, draw them--that men, seeing your good work, shall glorify your Father which is in heaven.

3. Every single quality that belongs to Christian character should be carried up to the condition of beautifulness. That is the aim, not by flash, rare--used only as a medicine is--but beauty that rises like a star, and continues to shine with a steadfast ray. The light that has in it all the primary colours carries them always without any discontinuity. And so the great qualities which grace inspires are to be carried up toward the line of beauty; they are intrinsically so. Now, when a plant seed unknown is sown we watch the unfolding of it, wondering at every step what is to be the outcome. The stem may be coarse, the leaf may be hirsute, and, like the cactus, one may never dream that this great flat, fat, spiny leaf could ever be the mother of beauty until the blossom comes, and then in all the earth is there anything more exquisite and gorgeous than the blossom of the cactus? So in regard to unripe and undeveloped qualities of moral feeling in the soul. Men may, during the process in which they are unfolding, see nothing very lovely; but when they have been carried up to their florescence, or their fruit estate, they are invariably beautiful. Moral qualities, like physical excellences, have a beginning. Some attain more quickly and easily than others the relish of the beautiful; some are the result only of long striving; some grow like autumnal flowers, only when they feel the coming breath of frost itself, out every quality that goes to make the true Christian as Christ longs to see him is an element, that, if carried up to its full extent, touches the line of the beautiful. So of conduct. Whatever is graceful, noble, free, large, manly, lordly in courage, is beautiful; and because it is beautiful it belongs to the religious perfection of man. And all conduct that has in it the element of heroism--how beautiful it is. The fidelity that costs! The self-denial that finds its reward in the fruition of that which is served! The angels of the cradle and the crib--those Protestant saints, maiden women, that, having no family, adopt the children and the household of those with whom they dwell, and spend love, and time, and all service, and pain even, and watchfulness for the sake of others--how beautiful is this quality of conduct! If I read over the qualities that constitute religion, as described in the fifth chapter of Galatians, they will sound to you like the snap of so many harpstrings, and all of them together like the sweep of an old harpers hand. The joy of religion!--not the joy of reading hymns, or of going to meeting, necessarily, or hearing sermons; but the inward joy which one has from communion with God through hope, and inspiration, and faith; the temperament of joy--peace--the absolute concordance of every quality in us, without any oppositions from any direction; the perfect harmonisation of every element in the soul. Long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, self-control--these are the features. The portraiture every one must make up in his own imagination. This is religion. Whoever, then, so lives as not to produce in some way or other the impression of the beauty of religion falls short of the genius of the New Testament. (H. W. Beecher.)

The beautiful

I. A beautiful thing. The gate Beautiful.

1. It was fitting that the approach to a beautiful place like the temple should be beautiful. Many beautiful things are marred by the ungainliness of their surroundings. A cathedral in a squalid neighbourhood, a mansion with a tumble-down entry, a picture in a broken frame, an untidy woman, are offensive incongruities. The most beautiful thing in the world is the religion of Christ, but how many are offended by what they see at the front of it--conditions of entrance which Christ never laid down, specimens of Christianity that Christ never produced. Reproduce the beauty of religion in yourselves, and make the path to it attractive, and there will be no difficulty in making converts.

2. The gate led to a beautiful place. This is not always the case. The best things only are placed in some windows. The world presents an attractive outside, but within is death. Once through the gate of Gods house the worshipper should find everything in harmony with the beautiful work he has to perform there; the structure, the service in all its parts should be conducive to the beauty of holiness. An ugly, ill-kept church, a tame, bald service--how detrimental to devotion, how dishonouring to God.

II. Beautiful characters.

1. Peter. There were ugly seams in Peters character. He was impulsive, he denied his Lord, he compromised at Antioch. But we must take that character as a whole and like some vast mountainous region, although there may be a morass here, and stunted vegetation there, and yawning chasms yonder, yet how grand the whole! In his deep penitence, his burning enthusiasm, his teaching by word and pen, there have been few more admirable men than Peter.

2. John. If Peter represents the rugged, John exhibits the more symmetrical type of Christian character. He must have had exquisite qualities whom Jesus so loved, and who was specially selected for so beautiful a task as the care of Jesus mother. And all these qualities, tenderness, love, loyalty, come out in his letters.

3. Peter and John, a combination which nearly makes perfection of beauty, power and gentleness, zeal and affection. And at the last a good deal of Peter came out in John, and a good deal of John in Perer.

III. A beautiful act.

1. It was beautifully done. Fastening his eyes upon him. He took him by the right hand. How much may be accomplished by a look. The mere gaze of Peter and John inspired life into a hope that had been dead for long years. There is as much in the way a thing is done as in the thing itself. You may bestow alms so as to deprive them of half their value--grudgingly, morosely, even vindictively. You may help a man so as to make every nerve quiver, and so as to provoke a reluctance to be helped at all. You may wipe a tear and leave a wound in the process. The action should be suited to the act. And if you can do nothing you can always look something, which sometimes will answer as well, and if you can give nothing else you can give your hand, which often will be more acceptable.

2. The deed was beautiful. It was physicians work, and what more beautiful--restoration to health--for which in its literal sense we may not be qualified; but there are sick bodies to which we may minister by kindly attention--Sick and ye visited Me: sick hearts to which we may administer comfort; sick minds that we may relieve by wise advice; sick souls that we may lead to the Great Physician.

IV. A beautiful method.

1. A frank recognition of the impossible. Silver and gold have I none. There are few things more unpleasant than to attempt what is beyond our power. We excite expectations that are doomed to disappointment, and bring ourselves into contempt. Before you promise to do a thing be sure you have the means. Dont let people think that you are a philosopher if you have no wisdom, a philanthropist if you have no money, a doctor if you have no medical skill, a preacher if you cannot preach. Moral deformities are what a man pretends to have but has not.

2. Self-abnegation in favour of the able. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth. To put oneself between the helpless and the helper, what more ugly. Who more despicable than the quack who interposes between the diseased and the doctor? Only he who stands between the sinner and the Saviour. If you cannot help a man, do not interfere with those who can. This is the least you can do; but the beautiful action is to get the two together and then stand aside. This is what Peter and John did; and this is what all men do in dealing with diseased souls, get them to Christ and then get out of the way.

V. A beautiful experience. Immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.

1. Strength was given to the weak. Strength added to strength is abnormal, and therefore not beautiful. There is no grace in the opulent receiving money, or in the competent receiving help, but frequently the reverse. But if a starving man is fed, and a helpless man assisted to do a task otherwise impossible, a beautiful effect is produced. The whole need not a physician, and to give medicine to the healthy only results in a disagreeable experience. Go, then, to the sinful, and lead them through the stages of repentance and faith until the dead in trespasses and sins become alive unto God through Christ, and the most beautiful of experiences is the result.

2. The weak was made strong. What experience is comparable to the consciousness of strength--strength of body, of intellect, above all of soul--to resist temptation, to live to and work for God.

VI. A beautiful result.

1. On the part of the man. Walking and leaping and praising God.

(1) Progression.

(2) Elevation.

(3) Worship--the three great characteristics of a personal Christian life.

2. On the part of the multitude.

(1) They saw and knew.

(2) They were filled with wonder and amazement.

(3) Who can doubt that many were convinced and converted?

3. On the part of Peter. It led to two of the most beautiful sermons in all Christian literature. (J. W. Burn.)

Beauty, designations of

Socrates called beauty a short-lived tyranny; Plato, a privilege of nature; Theophrastus, a silent cheat; Theocritus, a delightful prejudice; Carneades, a solitary kingdom; Homer, a glorious gift of nature; Ovid, a favour bestowed by the gods.

Gods love of the beautiful

It is among the mosses of the wall that the richest harvest of beauty and interest may be gathered. Well do I remember the bright July afternoon when their wonderful structure and peculiarities were first unveiled to me by one long since dead, whose cultured eye saw strange loveliness in things which others idly passed, and whose simple warm heart was ever alive to the mute appeals of the humblest wild flower or tiniest moss. There was opened up to me that day a new world of hitherto undreamt of beauty and intellectual delight; in the structural details of the moss which illustrated the lesson I got a glimpse of some deeper aspect of the Divine character than mere intelligence. Methought I saw Him, not as the mere contriver or designer, but in His own loving nature, having His tender mercies over all His works--displaying care for helplessness and minuteness--care for beauty in the works of nature. Small as the object before me was, I was impressed--in the wonder of its structure, at once a means and an end, beautiful in itself and performing its beautiful uses in nature--not with the limited ingenuity of the finite, but with the wisdom and love of an Infinite Spirit. To that one unforgotten lesson, improved by much study of these little objects alike in the closet and in the field, I owe many moments of pure happiness. (H. Macmillan, LL. D.)

Beauty, true and false

Hearing a young lady highly praised for her beauty, Gotthold asked, What kind of beauty do you mean? Merely that of the body, or that also of the mind? I see well that you have been looking no further than the sign which Nature displays outside the house, but have never asked for the host who dwells within. Beauty is an excellent gift of God, nor has the pen of the Holy Spirit forgotten to speak its praise; but it is virtuous and godly beauty alone which Scripture honours, expressly declaring, on the other hand, that a fair woman which is without discretion is as a jewel of gold in a swines snout (Pro_11:22). Many a pretty girl is like the flower called the imperial crown, which is admired, no doubt, for its showy appearance, but despised for its unpleasant odour. Were her mind as free from pride, selfishness, luxury, and levity, as her countenance from spots and wrinkles, and could she govern her inward inclinations as she does her external carriage, she would have none to match her. But who loves the caterpillar and such insects, however showy their appearance, and bright and variegated the colours that adorn them, seeing they injure and defile the trees and plants on which they settle? What the better is an apple for its rosy skin, if the maggot have penetrated and devoured its heart? What care I for the beautiful brown of the nut, if it be worm-eaten, and fill the mouth with corruption? Even so external beauty of person deserves no praise, unless matched with the inward beauty of virtue and holiness. It is, therefore, far better to acquire beauty than to be born with it. The best kind is that which does not wither at the touch of fever, like a flower, but lasts and endures on a bed of sickness, in old age, and even unto death.

Beauty and virtue

A gentleman had two children--one a daughter, who was considered plain in her person; the other a son, who was reckoned handsome. One day, as they were playing together, they saw their faces in a looking-glass. The boy was charmed with his beauty, and spoke of it to his sister, who considered his remarks as so many reflections on her want of it. She told her father of the affair, complaining of her brothers rudeness to her. The father, instead of appearing angry, took them both on his knees, and with much affection gave them the following advice:--I would have you both look in the glass every day: you, my son, that you may be reminded never to dishonour the beauty of your face by the deformity of your actions; and you, my daughter, that you may take care to hide the defect of beauty in your person by the superior lustre of your virtuous and amiable conduct.

Beauty and virtue

Beauty unaccompanied by virtue is a flower without perfume.

Beauty of a living Christian

A true man after Christ will be the most noble and beautiful thing upon the earth--the freest, the most joyous, the most fruitful in all goodness. There is no picture that was ever painted, there is no statue that was ever carved, there was no work of art ever conceived of, that was half so beautiful as the living man, thoroughly developed on the pattern of Christ Jesus. (H. W. Beecher.)

Beauty of conscience

There is great beauty in conscience. When it tempers the speech, and makes it true and just; when it tempers the actions, and makes them noble and right; when it produces fairness, and honour, and just judgments--how beautiful are all the direct and indirect influences of a Christian conscience in a man! But it sometimes leads Christian men to a sphere of uncharitable judgment. It inspires a high conception of what is right, and men take that conception as a rule by which to measure the conduct of their fellow-men, without consideration of their organisations, without making allowance for their weaknesses, without sympathy with them. There are many men that, adhering strictly to Gods ideal of rectitude, fail to have sympathy with poor, crippled, and broken-down human nature; and they go aside and away from God just in proportion as they do this. It was this cruelty that brought down from our Saviour His most vehement denunciations; for vice and crime were not regarded by Christ as being as guilty as moral purity without any heart, without any sympathy, without any charitable judgment. (H. W. Beecher.)

Beauty an educator

If I am to use things that are beautiful, I must remember that beauty is a moral instructor; I must educate myself with it, that I may become a man of more power, and that I may take that power and employ it in my Masters cause. If I use beauty as a means of education, I shall be redeemed from the charge of selfishness in it. And if men ask me, How can you lay out so much for works of art when there is such a demand for money to support missionaries and mission-schools? I reply, that I am preparing myself by these things to preach the gospel. They help me. The things that fill my house with beauty are not objects for the gratification of my selfishness, but instrumentalities by which I am qualified to do the work of God in this world. (H. W. Beecher.)

Beauty: its utility

People seem to think that God must be a great utilitarian, and that He always makes things for uses. Now, there is many a man that, drawing a sword whose blade is wreathed with all manner of traceries, which must have required days and days of exquisite work, will say, How foolish it is for a man to spend so much precious time to so little practical purpose! Those things do not make the sword any sharper. Who cares in the day of battle whether there is a picture on the blade of his sword or not? But when God made rocks, He did not let them alone till He had etched them all over with lines and figures of every description.:He smiled upon the earth, and all sorts of grasses and flowers and vines began to grow upon the surface. And wherever you see that God has walked in the world, you see that He has had an eye to beauty. The unconscious effects of Divine benevolence are everywhere springing out of the ground, and from every tree, from every dead stick, and from every stone. There is something on the globe besides what men can eat, drink, and wear. What is this flower good for? says a man; I cannot eat it. What are you good for, that nothing is good to you except what you can eat? Have you no appetite except in your mouth? I have an appetite in my ear, and the things that give that appetite food--sweet sounds--are something to me. I have an appetite in my eye, and the things that give that appetite food--form, symmetry, and beauty--are something to me. These things are a great deal more food to me than bread. I pity a man whose appetites are confined to physical things, and I like a man whose appetites rise up to nobler things. On every side of us are witnesses that God did not make the world for iron, and gold, and stones, and meat, and drink, and clothes, alone; but for the mind and soul as well. (H. W. Beecher.)

Beauty, danger of

Gaze not on beauty too much, lest it blast thee; nor too long, lest it blind thee; nor too near, lest it burn thee. If thou like it, it deceives thee; if thou love it, it disturbs thee; if thou hunt after it, it destroys thee. If virtue accompany it, it is the hearts paradise; if vice associate it, it is the souls purgatory. It is the wise mans bonfire, and the fools furnace. (F. Quarles.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:2. And a certain man — Well known, it appears, by those who frequented the temple; lame from his mother’s womb, was carried — Thither by the help of others, being unable to walk, through a weakness in his ankles; whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful — This gate, which was between the court of the Gentiles and that of Israel, and is here called Beautiful, for the richness of the metal of which it was formed, and its curious workmanship, is termed by Josephus the Corinthian gate. About one hundred and eighty years before this, the city of Corinth had been taken and burned by the Romans; and in the burning of it multitudes of statues and images of brass, gold, and silver, being melted down and running together, made that mixture of metals, which, from that time, was called Corinthian brass, and was valued, by the ancients, above gold or silver. This gate, on the east side of the temple, was made of that brass, and exceeded the other gates, as in its dimensions, so especially in its workmanship and splendour, though most of them were covered over with silver or gold. It was thirty cubits high, and fifteen broad, and was added by Herod the Great.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:2. Καί τις ἀνὴρ, and a certain man) The man is fully described, in the case of whom Peter performed the first miracle.—ἐβαστάζετο) Middle [used to have himself carried].—θύραν, the door or gate) whereby many used to enter. It is called πύλη, a gate, in Act 3:10.—Ὡραίαν, Beautiful) Heb., the Gate Susan in the same sense.—τοῦ αἰτεῖν, in order to ask) Although the people ought not to have had beggars.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_3:2. Χωλὸς ἐκ κοιλ. μητρ.] born lame. Comp. Act_14:8; Joh_9:1. And he was above forty years old, Act_4:22.

The imperfect ἐβαστάζετο, he was being brought, denotes the action in reference to the simultaneous ἀνέβαινον, Act_3:1; and ἐτίθουν, its daily repetition.

τὴν λεγομ. ὡραίαν] which bears the by-name (see Schaefer, Melet. p. 14) Beautiful. The proper name was, gate of Nicanor. It lay on the. eastern side of the outermost court of the temple, leading towards the valley of Kidron, and is described by Josephus, Bell. v. 5. 3, as surpassingly splendid: τῶν δὲ πυλῶν αἱ μὲν ἐννέα χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ κεκαλυμμέναι πανταχόθεν ἦσαν, ὁμοίως τε παραστάδες καὶ τὰ ὑπέρθυρα· μία δὲ ἡ ἔξωθεν τοῦ νεῶ Κορινθίου χαλκοῦ πολὺ τῇ τιμῇ τὰς καταργύρους καὶ περιχρύσους ὑπεράγουσα. Καὶ δύο μὲν ἑκάστου τοῦ πυλῶνος θύραι, τριάκοντα δὲ πηχῶν τὸ ὕψος ἑκάστης, καὶ τὸ πλάτος ἦν πεντεκαίδεκα. Others (Wagenseil, Lund, Bengel, Walch) understand it of the gate Susan, which was in the neighbourhood of Solomons porch, and at which the market for pigeons and other objects for sacrifice was held. But this is at variance with the signification of the word ὡραῖος; for the name Susan is to be explained from the Persian capital (שׁוּשַׁן, town of lilies), which, according to Middoth, 1 Kal. 3, was depicted on the gate.[143] Others (Kuinoel, et al.) think that the gate Chulda, i.e. tempestiva, leading to the court of the Gentiles, is meant. See Lightf. Hor. ad Joh. p. 946 f. But this derivation of the name (from חלד tempus) cannot be historically proved, nor could Luke expect his reader to discover the singular appellation porta tempestiva in ὡραίαν, seeing that for this the very natural porta speciosa (Vulg.) could not but suggest itself.

Among the Gentiles also beggars sat at the gates of their temples (Martial. 1:112)a usage probably connected with the idea (also found in ancient Israel) of a special divine care for the poor (Hermann, Privatalterth. § 14. 2).

τοῦ αἰτεῖν] eo fine, ut peteret.

[143] Perhaps, however, this picture of Susa on the gate of the temple is only an invention on account of the name, and the latter might be sufficiently explained from the lily-shaped decorations of the columns (מַעֲשֵׂה שׁוּשַׁן, 1Ki_5:18).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 3:2 . τις , by its position as in Luk 11:27 directs attention to this man, “the man was conspicuous both from the place and from his malady” Chrys., Hom. , viii. χωλὸς … ὑπάρχων : “a certain man that was lame” R.V., otherwise ὑπάρχων is not noticed, fittingly used here in its classical sense expressing the connection between the man’s present state and his previous state, see on Act 2:30 . ἐβαστάζετο : imperf., expressing a customary act, the man was being carried at the hour of worship when the Temple would be filled with worshippers (Chrysostom); or the verb may mean that he was being carried in the sense that the bearers had not yet placed him in the accustomed spot for begging, cf. 2Ki 18:14 , Sir 6:25 , Bel and the Dragon, ver. 36; Theod. ὃν ἐτίθουν : the imperfect used of customary or repeated action in past time, Burton, Syntax of Moods and Tenses , etc., p. 12, on the form see Winer-Schmiedel, p. 121; Blass, Grammatik des N. G. , p. 48: in Acts there are several undoubted instances of the way in which the imperfect 3rd plural of verbs in μι was often formed as if from a contract verb, cf. Act 4:33 ; Act 4:35 , Act 27:1 πρὸς τὴν θύραν : R.V. “door,” although in Act 3:10 we have not θύρα but πύλη · τὴν λεγ . Ὡραίαν : it may have been the gate of Nicanor (so called because Judas Maccabæus had nailed to the gate the hand of his conquered foe, 1Ma 7:47 ). The description given of it by Josephus, B. J. , v., 5, 3, marks it as specially magnificent, cf. also Hamburger, Real-Encycl. , ii., 8, p. 1198. This view was held by Wetstein, see, in loco , Nicanor’s gate. Another interpretation refers the term to the gate Shushan, which was not only close to the Porch of Solomon, but also to the market for the sale of doves and other offerings, and so a fitting spot for a beggar to choose (Zöckler). The gate may have been so called because a picture of the Persian capital Susa was placed over it (Hamburger, u. s. ), i.e. , Town of Lilies. Cf. Hebrew Shushan, a lily, the lily being regarded as the type of beauty. Wendt suggests that the title may be explained from the decoration on the pillars of lily work מַעֲשֵׂה שׁוּשַׁן , Mr. Wright, Some N.T. Problems , 1898, has recently argued that the eastern gate of the Court of the Women is meant, p. 304 ff. (so too Schürer, Jewish People , div. ii., vol. i., p. 180, E.T.). This court was the place of assembly for the services, and a beggar might naturally choose a position near it. The decision as to which of these gates reference is made to is rendered more difficult by the fact that, so far as we know, no gate bore the name “Beautiful”. But the decision apparently lies between these alternatives, although others have been proposed, cf. John Lightfoot, Hor. Heb., in loco , and Wright, u. s. In such notices as the mention of the Beautiful Gate, Solomon’s Porch, Feine sees indications of a true and reliable tradition. τοῦ αἰτεῖν : genitive of the purpose, very frequent in this form, genitive of the article with the infinitive both in the N.T. and in the LXX, cf. Gen 4:15 , 1Ki 1:35 , Eze 21:11 ; Luk 24:16 , see especially Burton, Syntax of Moods and Tenses , p. 159. It is very characteristic of St. Luke, and next to him of St. Paul probably indicates the influence of the LXX, although the construction is found in classical Greek, cf. Xen., Anab. , iii., 5, see Viteau, Le Grec du N. T. , p. 172 (1893). It was a common thing for beggars amongst the Jews as amongst the Christians (just as amongst the Romans, Martial, i., 112) to frequent the Temple and Churches for alms. St. Chrysostom notes the custom as common as it is today in continental cathedrals or modern mosques. ἐλεημοσύνην : common in the LXX but not classical, sometimes used for the feeling of mercy ( ἔλεος ), Pro 3:3 ; Pro 19:22 , and constantly through the book; and then for mercy showing itself in acts of pity, almsgiving, Tob 1:3 ; Tob 12:8 , cf. Act 9:36 ; Act 10:2 , where it is used in the plural, as often in the LXX. Our word alms is derived from it and the German Almosen , both being corruptions of the Greek word.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

a certain man lame from his mother's womb--and now "above forty years old" (Act 4:22).

was carried--was wont to be carried.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. A - man lame from his mother's womb] The case of this man must have been well known:

1. from the long standing of his infirmity:

2. from his being daily exposed in a place so public.

It appears that he had no power to walk, and was what we term a cripple, for he was carried to the gate of the temple, and laid there in order to excite compassion. These circumstances are all marked by St. Luke, the more fully to show the greatness and incontestable nature of the miracle.

The gate - which is called Beautiful] There are different opinions concerning this gate. Josephus observes, Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 5, sect. 3, that the temple had nine gates, which were on every side covered with gold and silver; but there was one gate which was without the holy house, and was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those which were only covered with gold and silver: πολυ τῃ τιμῃ τας καταργυρους και περιχρυσους ὑπεραγουσα. The magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to another; but that of the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east, over against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger: πεντηκοντα γαρ πηχων ουσα την αναστασιν, τεσσαρακοντα πηχεις τας θυρας ειχε, και τον κοσμον πολυτελεστερον, επι δαψιλες παχος αργυρου τε και χρυσου· for its height was fifty cubits, and its doors were forty cubits, and it was adorned after a most costly manner, as having much richer and thicker plates of silver and gold upon them than upon the other. This last was probably the gate which is here called Beautiful; because it was on the outside of the temple, to which there was an easy access, and because it was evidently the most costly, according to the account in Josephus; but it must be granted that the text of Josephus is by no means clear.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) A certain man lame from his mother’s womb.—The careful record of the duration of his suffering is more or less characteristic of St. Luke (Luk_9:33; Luk_14:8). The minuteness in this narrative suggests the thought that St. Luke’s informant may have been the cripple himself.

Was carried.—Better, was being carried.

The gate of the temple which is called Beautiful.—Literally, door, though “gate” is used in Act_3:10. No gate of this name is mentioned by other writers, but it was probably identical either (1) with the gate of Nicanor (so called, according to one tradition, because the hand of the great enemy of Judah had been nailed to it as a trophy), which was the main eastern entrance of the inner court (Stanley’s Jewish Church, iii. p. 323); or (2) the Susa gate, also on the eastern side, and named in memory of the old historical connection between Judah and Persia, leading into the outer court of the women. The latter was of fine Corinthian brass, so massive that twenty men were required to open or shut it (Jos. Wars, v. 5, § 3).

To ask alms of them that entered into the temple.—The approaches of the Temple, like those of modern mosques, were commonly thronged with the blind, lame, and other mendicants. (Comp. Joh_9:8.) The practice was common at Constantinople in the time of Chrysostom, and has prevailed largely throughout Christendom.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb] There is the verb expressed in the original, and it should be translated a certain man who was, &c.

was carried] i.e. regularly every day, and the position in which he had been daily set for the greater part of his forty years’ life (see Act_4:22) made it certain that he would be widely and well known. So Bartimæus sat by the wayside to beg (Mar_10:46).

whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful] The gateways of the Temple gave admission to the inner court from the court of the Gentiles and the court of the women; there were three on the north and the same number on the south, but the Beautiful Gate meant in this verse was probably the gate on the east which led from the court of the women. The other gates, Josephus says (B. J. v. 5. 3), were overlaid with gold and silver, but this one was “made of Corinthian bronze, and much surpassed in worth those enriched with silver and gold.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And a certain man, lame from his mother's womb,.... He was born so; his lameness came not through any disease or fall, or any external hurt, but from a defect in nature, in one of his limbs, or more; which made the after miracle the more extraordinary: and he was so lame that he

was carried; he could not walk of himself, or go, being led, but they were obliged to carry him:

whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple; it had been a common usage, it may be, for years past, to bring him every day, at prayer time, and lay him at the gate of the temple where the people went in; hence he was well known by the people, and to have been of a long time lame, even ever since he was born; so that there could be no imposture in this case: and it was at the gate of the temple he lay,

which is called beautiful; which some think was the gate Shushan, which was the eastern gate of the mountain of the house, or the outmost wall, and was so called, because Shushan, the metropolis of Persia, was pourtrayed upon it (q), which made it look very beautiful. The reason commonly given by the Jewish commentators (r) why this was done, is this; when the Jews returned from captivity, the king of Persia commanded that they should make a figure of the palace of Shushan upon one of the gates of the temple, that they might fear the king, and not rebel against him; and accordingly they drew one upon the eastern gate: but some say (s), that the children of the captivity did this (upon their return) that they might remember the wonder of Purim, (their deliverance from Haman,) which was done in Shushan; moreover, it might be so called from the word Shushan, which signifies joy and gladness: but this does not bid so fair to be the gate here meant, since it was lower than all the rest; for as the eastern wall was lower than the rest of the walls, that when the high priest burnt the red heifer on the top of Mount Olivet, he might see the gate of the temple at the time of the sprinkling of the blood; so the gate itself was four cubits lower than the others (t), and therefore could not look so grand and beautiful as the rest. Indeed, concerning this eastern gate of the mountain of the house, it is said (u), that

"in the time when the sanctuary stood, when they prayed on the mountain of the house, they went in by the way of the eastern gate.''

And as this was now the hour of prayer, and the people were going to the temple to pray, whose entrance was at the east gate; here it might be thought, in all probability, was laid the lame man: though it seems rather to be the eastern gate of the court of the women, which was made of Corinthian brass, and looked brighter than gold itself; of which Josephus (w) thus speaks:

"nine of the gates were covered all over with gold and silver, likewise the side posts and lintels; but there was one, without the temple, of Corinthian brass, which in dignity greatly exceeded the silver and golden ones.''

And since at this gate was the greatest frequency of persons, both men and women entering here; it is most likely, that here lay the lame man a begging: this is thought, by some, to be the higher gate of the house of the Lord; said to be built by Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Kg2 15:35 upon which text, a Jewish commentator of great note (x) has this remark,

"observe it is said of Jotham, that he built it, because he made a building on it, "more glorious and great" than it had been:''

and this is also called the new gate of the house of the Lord, Jer 26:10 and which both the Targum and Kimchi on the place say is the eastern gate.

To ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who going to religious exercises, might be thought to be more disposed to acts of liberality and charity: and besides, these were known to be Jews, of whom only alms were to be asked and taken; for so run their canons (y),

"it is forbidden to take alms of Gentiles publicly, except a man cannot live by the alms of Israelites; and if a king, or a prince of the Gentiles, should send money to an Israelite for alms, he must not return it, because of the peace of the kingdom, but must take it of him, and give it to the poor of the Gentiles secretly, that the king may not hear.''

(q) Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 3. (r) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. ib. (s) Vid. Juchasin, fol. 65. 2. (t) Misn. Middot, c. 2. sect. 4. Maimon. Hilchot Beth Habechirah, c. 6. sect. 5. (u) Gloss. in T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 15. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Taanith, c. 4. sect. 15. (w) De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 5. sect. 3. (x) Abarbinel in loc. (y) Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. Affirm. 162.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Ver. 2. To ask alms] This ought not to have been suffered, Deu 15:7-8 There might not be a beggar in Israel. But all was out of order, as it useth to be among a people nigh to destruction.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lame from his mother’s womb - The mention of this shows that there was no deception in the case. The man had been always lame; he was obliged to be carried; and he was well known to the Jews.

Whom they laid daily - That is, his friends laid him there daily. He would therefore be well known to those who were in the habit of entering the temple. Among the ancients there were no hospitals for the sick, and no alms-houses for the poor. The poor were dependent, therefore, on the Charity of those who were in better circumstances. It became an important matter for them to be placed where they would see many people. Hence, it was customary to place them at the gates of rich men Luk 16:20; and they also sat by the highway to beg where many persons would pass, Mar 10:46; Luk 18:35; Joh 9:1-8. The entrance to the temple would be a favorable place for begging; for:

(1)Great multitudes were accustomed to enter there; and,

(2)When going up for the purposes of religion, they would be more inclined to give alms than at other times; and especially was this true of the Pharisees, who were particularly desirous of publicity in bestowing charity. It is recorded by Martial (i. 112) that the custom prevailed among the Romans of placing the poor by the gates of the temples; and the custom was also observed a long time in the Christian churches.

At the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful - In regard to this gate there have been two opinions, one of which supposes that it was the gate commonly called Nicanor, which led from the court of the Gentiles to the court of the women (see Plan in notes on Mat 21:12), and the other that it was the gate at the eastern entrance of the temple, commonly called Susan. It is not easy to determine which is intended; though from the fact that what is here recorded occurred near Solomon’s porch (Act 3:11; compare the Plan of the Temple, Mat 21:12), it seems probable that the latter was intended. This gate was large and splendid. It was made of Corinthian brass, a most valuable metal, and made a magnificent appearance (Josephus, Jewish Wars, book 5, chapter 5, section 3).

To ask alms - Charity.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lame from his mother’s womb, and not by any casualty, that so the miracle might be the greater, and the power of the God of nature appear.

They laid daily; by which it was manifest, that it could not be by any correspondence between the apostles and the lame man upon this occasion.

At the gate of the temple; where there must needs be the greater notice taken of him; none going in or out but such as might see him.

Called Beautiful, for the excellency of the workmanship: it was at the entering into the second court, or the court of the Jews from that of the Gentiles. This man, out of pride, being unwilling to beg of the Gentiles, though proselyted, (whom they did contemn), or out of policy, hoping to receive more of the Jews, whom he is nearer related to,

asked alms of them that entered into the temple. Poverty is no sign of God’s disfavour (our blessed Redeemer is in an especial manner called Caput pauperum); but lameness in this man, divers miseries and calamities in others, bring them to the knowledge of Christ, and salvation through him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Man lame… was carried—Was being carried. He is borne to the spot while they are walking to it. The cripple and his restorers, unknown to each other, are coming to the same point.

Laid daily—At a path where troops of the benevolent are supposed to pass. There are many irreligious humanitarians who pretend that the Christian Church preaches a great deal, but does little in the cause of humanity. Such a statement is false in fact. Statistics would show that the great current of liberal giving flows from Christian, evangelically Christian, hands. It is in Christian countries almost alone that great benevolent institutions have heretofore existed.

Lame from his mother’s womb—Proof that none but miraculous power could cure him.

Beautiful—The gate entering from the Gentile court into the women’s court. It is remarkable that there was in the city of Constantinople a gate called by the same Greek epithet ‘Ωραια, beautiful, and Constantinople itself was sometimes called Καλλιπολις, Beauty-city. Such epithets do not usually displace the ordinary name. Leaving the marble floor of the court of the Gentiles, the apostles ascend a flight of steps to a broad platform called chel, a few steps above which stands the Beautiful gate, and upon which probably also lies the lame-born. It is customary even at the present day in the countries of Europe, especially of papal Europe, to place beggars, sometimes even by public authority, at the doors and gates of churches, hotels, and bridges. Such should never be the case in a well-ordered government, in which Christian principle requires that ample provision, to which all should contribute in proportion to their means, should be legally made for all the truly and necessarily poor. The same Christian principle which in our Saviour’s time required a limitless individual benevolence, requires of Christian governments to make such provisions as shall as far as possible render individual alms-giving unnecessary.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That was lame for lame, A.V.; door for gate, A.V Door. If any distinction is intended between the qura here and the pulh of ver. 10 (which is not certain, as qura is often used for a gate), we must understand qura of the double doors of the gate described by Josephus. Perhaps the lame man leant against one of the open doors. Which is called Beautiful. It is not certain what gate this was. In the "Dictionary of the Bible" it is described as "the great eastern gate leading from the court of the women to the upper court," following apparently Josephus, "De Bell. Jud:," 5:5:3. But it is impossible to reconcile Josephus"s two accounts that in the "Bell. Jud:," 5:5. and that in "Ant. Jud:," 15:11. In the former he says distinctly that there were ten gates four on the north, four on the south, and two on the east. In the latter he says there were three gates on the north, three on the south, and one on the east. In the former he says that fifteen steps led up from the women"s enclosure to the great gate, exactly opposite the gate of the temple itself (antikru thv tou naou pulhv); in the latter he says very distinctly that women were allowed to enter through the great gate on the east. With such discrepancies in the description of the only eye-witness whose evidence has been preserved, it is impossible to speak with certainly. But it seems probable that there were two gates on the east one the beautiful and costly gate of Corinthian brass, elaborately described by Josephus, through which the women did pass; the other the greater gate, just opposite to and above the beautiful gate (hJ uJper than), leading from the court of the women to the inner court; and that Josephus has confounded one with the other in his descriptions. Anyhow, the beautiful gate was probably on the east. Its correct name is said to be the gate of Nicanor. The temple. It must be remembered that the whole platform, including the porches, and the courts of the Gentiles and of the women, and the outer court and the court of the priests, was called ton; the actual house was called oJ naov; that part of the iJeron to which only Israelites were admitted, was called to agion. Josephus also divides the precincts into the first, second, and third iJeron. The description of this lame man laid at the gate of the temple to ask alms is very similar to that inblhto, Luk_16:20 of Lazarus laid at the rich man"s gate; only that the word for laid is in St. Luke ejpe and here is ejtiqoun.

The kinship between religion and charity.

From the exegetical portion of the Commentary materials for the introduction may be obtained. Such introduction should treat of the suffering poor in the East, showing how necessarily dependent they were upon promiscuous charity. With their condition may be contrasted the care for the poor in all Christian lands, and the provision of hospitals and institutions for their relief. Some account may also be given of Herod"s temple, and the position of the gate called Beautiful. Josephus says the other gates were overlaid with gold and silver, but this one, which was probably the gate on the east, which led from the court of the women, was "made of Corinthian bronze, and much surpassed in worth those enriched with silver and gold." It may further be shown how this miracle, wrought by the agency of St. Peter, resembles the gracious miracles of healing wrought by our Lord himself. The picture of this poor and hopelessly suffering man suggests the following topics for meditation:

I THE DISPENSATIONS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE BRING BODILY DISABILITIES FOR SOME MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. This, as a fact, may be variously illustrated, and it may be shown, from our Lord"s teachings, that neither bodily infirmities and disabilities, nor earthly calamities, are necessarily direct results of personal sin or fault. They are oftentimes hereditary consequences of ancestral sin. They are often products of circumstances and conditions of life, over which the sufferer had no control. They may be regarded as the great sin-burden lying OH the race, and borne more evidently by some members for the sake of all. So long as the race is sinful, it must have the character of its sinfulness marked and impressed by manifest, painful, unsightly, revolting, and apparently hopeless forms of "suffering" all around it. The "suffering" as well as the "poor" we have always with us.

II SUCH DISABILITIES SET SOME MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN FAMILY UPON THE BROTHERHOOD AND CHARITY OF OTHERS. For, if we look upon them aright, we regard them as bearing the common burden, and so bearing our burden. We might have been among the blind, or dumb, or lame, or idiotic, or paralyzed; and it is never enough that we thank God for our freedom from special disabilities; our thankfulness only finds its natural and proper expression in caring for, helping, and relieving the disabled and distressed. Sufferers, wherever they are found, should touch our hearts with tender emotions. We should have such an open, sensitive heart as can take them all in. It is well if we show special interest in some particular class of sufferers the orphan, incurable, lame, sick children, deaf and dumb, etc. To take a higher ground, our Lord is the great Sufferer, and so the head of all sufferers. Therefore, for his sake, and as showing our tender sympathy and love for him, we should take his suffering brethren into our love and care. "Doing it to the least of the brethren is doing it to him." "He that loveth God his Father should love his brother also.

III A NATURAL EXPECTATION LEADS MEN TO LOOK FOR SUCH CHARITY TOWARD THE DISABLED FROM THE RELIGIOUS. It is a fact that systematic efforts for the welfare of the naturally disabled are only found in lands where Christian thought and feeling prevail. It may be illustrated and enforced:

1. That this connection between religion and brotherly charity is natural It is the fitting impulse of "human kindness" that leads us to care for others, but it is the special impulse of that new feeling that comes with personal and saving relations with Christ.

2. That this connection is right. Urged as such by Divine command and Divine example, as well as by the example of all noble and holy men.

3. This connection has been, in Christian lands, fairly well met. Show into how varied spheres Christian benevolence and charity may now run. Ask earnestly, and with direct applications Is it true, individually for us, that our piety has cultured into holy vigor our charity? If not, it is of little worth to us or to others. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

At the gate of the temple, called Beautiful - This gate was added by Herod the Great, between the court of the Gentiles and that of Israel. It was thirty cubits high, and fifteen broad, and made of Corinthian brass, more pompous in its workmanship and splendour than those that were covered with silver and gold.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Observe here, 1. The condition of this person.

1. He was poor, even to beggary; but poverty is no sign of God’s disfavour, nor doth exclude any from partaking of the best of blessings.

2. He was born a cripple, not lamed by casualty or accident, but lame from his mother’s womb.

3. He had continued a cripple forty years, The man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. Act 4:22. Consequently the cure was the harder, and the person cured the more credible witness against them that cavilled at his cure.

Observe, 2. The wonderful mercy and goodness of God towards this poor cripple; his miseries and calamities, his lameness and poverty, are over-ruled by God for good to him, even for the best good; namely, for bringing him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and salvation by him.

O how good is God at making up all our losses and exceeding not only our deserts, but our expectations also! This poor man only begged an alms, but God gives him his limbs; yea, gives him his Son and salvation by him. Thus we receive of God daily more than we can either ask or think.

Observe, 3. The apostle’s advice to the lame man, and his ready compliance with that advice. Look on us, says St. Peter; he doth not say, believe on us, but look on us, and believe on Christ. This the apostle spake to quicken his attention and excite his hope. As if St. Peter had said; "You look upon many others as able to relieve your necessities; now look on us, and see what we can do for you:" Accordingly he fastened his eyes upon the apostle, and beheld them as expectant of relief.

Here note, 1. The great mercy of God that was mingled with this poor man’s affliction; though he was lame, he was not blind. He could and did stedfastly behold the apostle, with a fixed eye both of body and mind.

Note, 2. That what the cripple could do, he must and did do, towards his own healing; he could not move a foot, but he could fix his eye. We are spiritual cripples, labouring under a moral impotency; being without strength, Rom 1:6.

But God expects the exercise of our faculties, and the use of our endeavours in order to our recovery, help, and healing. As the cripple looked up to the apostles, so may we look up to the ministers of God: hear them, and apply to them, and place ourselves under to word dispensed by them; for he that made us without ourselves, will never save us without ourselves; but we must work out our own salvation, Php 2:12.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 1

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Laid daily at the gate … called Beautiful. Generally thought to be the gate opening towards the Mount of Olives. Josephus, who calls it the gate of Nicanor, describes it as wonderfully rich and beautiful (Jos. Ant. 15:11). It was common for the unfortunate to be placed at gates where their condition would appeal to the multitudes entering for worship. Then, public charities were almost unknown, and the helpless were compelled to beg.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

2. ἐκ. Just as when this preposition is used with words directly indicative of time, the idea here contained in it is of a starting-point since which a certain state has been continuous. Cf. Act 24:10, ἐκ πολλῶν ἐτῶν ὄντα κριτήν. Render, a certain man who was lame, otherwise ὑπάρχων is not represented.

ἐβαστάζετο … ἐτίθουν. The imperfect tenses imply that this was done regularly every day, and the position in which he had been daily set for the greater part of his forty years’ life (see Act 4:22) made it certain that he would be widely and well known. In the same fashion Bartimaeus sat by the wayside to beg (Mar 10:46).

πρὸς τὴν θύραν … ὡραίαν. The gateways of the Temple gave admission to the inner court from the court of the Gentiles and the court of the women. There were three on the north and the same number on the south, but the Beautiful Gate meant in this verse was probably the gate on the east which led from the court of the women. The other gates, Josephus says (B. J. Act 3:5; Act 3:3), were overlaid with gold and silver, but this one was ‘made of Corinthian bronze, and much surpassed in worth those enriched with silver and gold.’

τοῦ αἰτεῖν, to ask. This form of construction of the infinitive with τοῦ to indicate purpose is abundantly common in N.T. and LXX. Cf. Gen 4:15, καὶ ἔθετο κύριος ὁ θεὸς σημεῖον τῷ Κάϊν τοῦ μὴ ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν πάντα τὸν εὑρίσκοντα αὐτόν.

ἐλεημοσύνην. Not a classical word, but very common in the LXX., first, for the feeling of mercy which dictates the giving of alms, and then, for the gift itself, as here. For the latter sense see Tob 12:8, ἀγαθὸν προσευχὴ μετὰ νηστείας καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης … καλὸν ποιῆσαι ἐλεημοσύνην ἢ θησαυρίσαι χρυσίον. Also Sir 3:14; Sir 3:30; Sir 35:2.

From this word comes the English alms, formerly spelt almesse, or awmous, and in German it has become almosen.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2.] ἐβαστ., was being carried. They took him at the hours of prayer, and carried him back between times.

τὴν θύραν … τ. λ. ὡραίαν] The arrangement of the gates of the Temple is, from the notices which we now possess, very uncertain. Three entrances have been fixed on for the θύρα ὡραία: (1) The gate mentioned Jos. B. J. v. 5. 3: τῶν δὲ πυλῶν αἱ μὲν ἐννέα χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ κεκαλυμμέναι πανταχόθεν ἦσαν, ὁμοίως τε παραστάδες καὶ τὰ ὑπέρθυρα. μία δὲ ἡ ἔξωθεν τοῦ νεὼ Κορινθίου χαλκοῦ, πολὺ τῇ τιμῇ τὰς καταργύρους καὶ τὰς περιχρύσους ὑπεράγουσα. This gate was also called Nicanor’s gate (see the Rabbinical citations in Wetstein),—and lay on the eastern side of the Temple, towards the valley of Kedron. Jos. mentions it again, as ἡ ἀνατολικὴ πύλη τοῦ ἐνδοτέρου, χαλκῆ οὖσα, and gives a remarkable account of its size and weight: adding, that when, before the siege, it was discovered supernaturally opened in the night, τοῦτο τοῖς ἰδιώταις κάλλιστον ἐδόκει τέρας· ἀνοῖξαι γὰρ τὸν θεὸν αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν πύλην. But some find a difficulty in this. The lame man, they say, would not be likely to have been admitted so far into the Temple (but see Wetst. as above, where it appears that lepers used to stand at Nicanor’s gate): and besides, he would have taken up his station naturally at an outer gate, where he might ask alms of all who entered. These conditions suit better (2) the gate Susan; as does also the circumstance mentioned ver. 11, that the people ran together to Solomon’s porch; for this gate was on the east side of the court of the Gentiles, and close to Solomon’s porch. Only the name ὡραία cannot be derived from the town Susan (from which the gate was named, having a picture of the town over it), that word signifying ‘a lily;’ the town being named, it is true, διὰ τὴν ὡραιότητα τοῦ τόπου ( xii. 1, p. 573): but the derivation being too far-fetched to be at all probable. Another suitable circumstance was, that by this gate the market was held for sheep and cattle and other offerings, and therefore a greater crowd would be attracted. (3) Others again (Lightf. favours this) attempt to derive ὡραία from חֶלֶד, ‘tempus,’ and refer the epithet to two gates opening towards the city on the western side. But it is very unlikely that Luke should have used ὡρ. in so unusual a meaning:—not to say (see Lightf. Descr. Templi) that the meaning of חוּלְדָה itself is very doubtful. So that the matter must remain in uncertainty.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That was [υπαρχων] . Lit., being. See on Jas 2:15.

Was carried [εβασταζετο] . Imperfect : "was being carried as they were going up (ver. 1) They laid [ετιθουν] . Imperfect :" they were wont to lay. "

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.